1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an X-ray examination apparatus and more particularly, to an X-ray examination apparatus for examining the circulatory system, such as, the blood vessels and the heart.
2. Description of the Related Art
X-ray examination of the circulatory system is broadly classified into two methods. One method is angiocardiography in which blood flow, the running and form of the blood vessels, the movement of the heart, etc. is X-rayed by injecting a contrast medium of a high X-ray absorption property into the heart or blood vessel. The other one is cardio catheterization in which the circulation of blood or the cardic function is examined by inserting a catheter into the heart or blood vessel and blood pressure or the rate of blood flow is quantitatively measured.
In both of these examination methods, a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel from the brachial or femoral region of a subject to be examined. The method of inserting a catheter from the brachial region is called the Sones method and the method of insertion from the femoral region is called the Judkins method. In performing an X-ray examination by inserting a catheter into the brachium of the subject, an arm is placed on an arm rest and insertion of the catheter takes place under X-ray fluoroscopy. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the operator handling the catheter against scattered X-rays.
X-ray protection gloves and protection aprons, for example, are available as means for protecting the catheter-handling operator against scattered X-rays. There exist difficulties, however, with the protecting gloves in that a fine touch in operating the catheter is not fully conveyed to the operator.